Now in cooperation with police and federal law enforcement departments throughout the United States. The only national program that brings you authentic police case histories.
Gangbusters Tonight the case of the brothers in Banditry, who thought the way to social standing was money and the way the money was crime, until they learned that even the highest Polish leaves a mark.
Gangbusters has asked the Honorable John J. Grosh, now criminal Sheriff Orleans Parish and former Chief of Detectives, New Orleans, Louisiana, to narrate by proxy tonight's case the.
Inside facts in the case of Brothers in Banditry.
Sheriff Grash, I know you have a lot to tell us tonight, so suppose you start right in all.
Right, Don Gardner, and I think the place to begin would be a few years ago in Hollywood, California, in a room at one of the fashionable apartment hotels, a young man and a young woman were dancing while the portable phonograph hummed out the rhythm of the latest rage from South America, the sambo.
That's it, This is fun, all right, stay with it, stay with it, sure you cut it old, darn it.
I not come on honey, come on, it's simple.
Oh no, not no, later, maybe turn it off?
Surely anything you said, I get.
One of these dances all set, and then they come out with a new one. Oh, I just got to sit down.
I think I've got some ice in there. I'll fix your nice school drink.
No thanks to sit down here with me. Sure, baby, Cleveland's gonna be awfully dull without you.
Ralph.
Stick around Hollywood.
No, I've been here long enough without anything happening. My father gave me a year. If you're not in pictures by then, he said, come home. So back to the social world in Cleveland. That's me.
Well, maybe I'll drop into Cleveland someday.
Would you like that?
Would I like the had? I?
Oh, answer that with you, Lydia.
Oh what's yours? Answered yourself?
No, No, go ahead, honey, whoever it is, tell him, tell him. I won't be back till Tuesday. I don't want to talk to anybody.
Hand me the phone.
Sure, Hello, is this Ralph Olliver's room?
Oh well, yes, yeah it is.
Let me talk to you Ralph.
Well he's not here right now.
Oh when you expect him back?
I don't know exactly, Tuesday, maybe Tuesday.
Look where can I get in touch with them? This is his brother, it's come in tone.
Hey, hey give me that phone. Sure, Hey, look you old Pelican?
How are you?
Oh?
Great? Real?
Say?
What's the idea?
Tuesday?
When'd you get in town just a little while ago?
What are you doing tonight?
Well, we were just thinking about getting dinner, Lot, I mean this, and then you can come back here and stay with me for sure.
What if they say the biggest steaks in town of the Eldorado Club.
We'll see you there in half an hour.
Fine, in case you don't remember the base, look for a sailor suit for the striving half.
Well, JG. So you finally made it?
Hell on l another?
Oh why didn't you write me Hello?
I'll tell you all about it.
Don't be late.
I'm hungry as a bear.
Oh, Lot, that's wonderful.
Hell my CEO didn't think it was so wonderful.
I never had such a good time. Why didn't you tell me about this kid brother of yours?
Round my bolways?
Kept them a secret? He's a woman stealing and he's so young too. I'll let him catch you, lad. Yeah, there's only a yeah between this. Besides I have only one love. That's the Navy.
Would you care for another Brandy Lydio?
No, thank you, Rob. I think I'll just go proud of my nose.
No, I like it.
You won't miss me. As a matter of fact, I feel in the way. You must have lots to talk about. I'll be back in a few minutes.
Right, nice girl, she'll do a lot. Rich family, rich enough? How you telling you otherwise? It's a struggle. Say tell me something, will you plut?
How come they jump you from machinists mate second class to lieutenant JG.
In a year?
Navy promotions are too slow, Ralph, I decided to promote myself. Oh I'm not in the navy anymore. I just like the uniform honorable discharge. Yeah that kind uh huh?
Say catch you wearing that uniform? It will go tough one.
Yeah, they won't catch me. I'm move too fast. Do you have to move too fast? Or wouldn't you if you had a bunch of bum checks Tralia?
Yeah, but you.
Gotta be careful. Oh, I'm careful. Well why do we go me here? I don't know you're the host me? Well, didn't you invite me out to dinner. Oh sure, but I'm kind of short tonight of money? You mean what else? Oh, what's the matter. I've only got seven dollars to my name. Beat me, I've only got fired. That's not my help. Check will be over thirty dollars with all the drinks.
What about Lydia?
Forget it?
Oh she's well, hell, couldn't you tell her you left you all at home?
Forget it? I'm saving her for a bigger touch now.
But she's going on with Cleveland tomorrow.
And I'm going to Cleveland soon.
Well what are we going to do? Hey? How about you and I fighting over who's going to pay? That's got whiskers? How about getting sick or spilling food or something?
Hey, call that headwaiter over here.
It's the idea. Just call him Cappen.
Cappen.
When he gets here, tell him what to find dinner we had, and ask him to bring the check.
But Ralph, I do as I tell you. Here he comes.
Can I be of service? Mission? Yeah? The dinner was excellent?
Just right?
Oh, thank you, monsieur. May I have the check? Lase you assure in a moment.
See isn't that Joe Davis?
Excuse me? It is nothing, monsieur.
I will leave the check in the movement.
Tell me how that helped us, other than bring the eggs down quicker. The check will be over thirty bucks. Here be a liberal tipper.
I give him a.
Forty what's your get ahole?
That does from the head waiter, but he doesn't know check.
Well, how long you've been picking pockets?
His is the first one. But when I have to, I can do anything and do it good.
Now, let's get out of here before he missus that as soon as Lydia comes back, we'll take her home. Then I want to talk over a few things with you.
Okay, lord, let's turn in. Huh, it's late.
I just been sitting here thinking, Ralph, what's there to think about?
Aren't you sick of wondering where your next dollar is coming from?
I am? I wanna live off the fat of the land. Oh, who doesn't? He came along just in time, kid, I was about to look for somebody to help me. Okay, and counting your kid, brother, good. I throw away that sailor's suit and we go into business, a nice little business.
Sort of capital gains.
MM.
We invest a few dollars in some guns, right, run 'em to a fortune.
You know, Ralph. When you're cashing bum checks or even picking pockets, they don't look for you too hard robbery something else. Look lot when there's a hold up, the police look for criminals.
We're not criminals. And we'll pick a town we both know well. I like New Orleans. Do what we have to do and get out immediately. Go to some place where we're respected citizens.
M like Cleveland.
Like Cleveland, we stay there and have a good time until we're ready for another business trip back to New Orleans.
Thirteen eighty two.
Good morning, miss, good morning. We'd like to see mister Florensen.
Who is calling? Please Detective Santa's and King New Orleans Police Department.
Oh, one moment, please, yes, mister Florcan Detective Sanders and King of the Police.
Department to see you, to see me, Yes, sir, they're right here.
Send them in.
Are you about finished making up that deposit about sir?
I'll bring it in when it's ready. Mister Florence's office is a first one on the right.
Thank you very much.
Come on, and I hope we get away with it. We will, won't worry, all right.
Lott Hell here's luck, mister Floreston. Yes, I'm Detective Sanders. This is Detective King. We hate to trouble you when you're busy, but that's all right.
If there's anything I can do for.
You, we'd like to do something for you for me.
Yes, sir, you're in the habit of making a large bank deposit every Wednesday morning at eleven. Well, that's right. As a matter of fact, the deposit's about ready now.
And we had a tip from an informal last night. This informer thinks two bandits planned to hold you up today on your way to the bank.
Really, Lieutenant doesn't put much stock in the report, but he sent us to escort you to the bank.
Oh, fie, I have the deposit, mister florisac.
Oh good, I'll take it please.
Oh would you bring back some deposit slip.
Sir, Yes, yes, of course, thank you.
You're welcome, mister Farisa.
And another thing, mister Florescent, Either we or other detectives will continue to escort you to the bank every Wednesday for three or four weeks, just the place.
Sa Oh, I'll be glad to have you, believe me. All right, we'll take the money, but that's all right, I can carry.
He meant we'll take it. Get him a priest, won't dot don't. I've got it.
Let's go.
Okay, Oh miss yes, sir, mister Florest and asked me to tell you that we're escorting him to the bank in a half hour.
He doesn't want to be disturbed until we return.
Oh, I won't disturb him.
Good, come on, sergeant.
That Don, was how Ralph and Lorton Oliver staged their first robbery in New Orleans. They were delighted at their success, but the brothers soon learned it seldom that even the most ingenious schemes fool the police.
Now back to Gangbusters. You were telling a sheriff Crash that the brothers Ralph and Lorte Molliver had worked out in the elaborate scheme to stage robberies in New Orleans then leave town before the police could make headway in their investigation.
That's right, Don, and at least a half dozen cleverly executed robberies were committed in quick succession.
After the last one, they planned to leave.
For Cleveland, where they'd make the rounds as respectable citizens. Lawton was waiting on a busy New Orleans corner for his brother, when a brand new Cadillac Sedan pulled to a stop.
Lot, Hey, lot, come on, get it roll?
Where the devil you get this?
I don't like it?
Hey, some hunk of automobile.
I like that power?
Come on, come on, who says it? Don't tell me? Somebody let it standing there with the keys in it.
It's ours, ours, yours and mine. We're going to Cleveland in the style. You mean you bought it right off the floor. Oh stop kidding. Well, yeah, this car costs well the must cost of thirty.
Five hundred, at least thirty six and a quarter all honest rill, we'll make it up.
What's money beside the Cadillac's gonna pay for itself?
Eh?
How well?
I figured out one more job for us before we kiss An Orleans goodbye, and we can use the car for it.
But what about the plates? It's registered no name license.
Plates for a time at dusn't so we got a dozen men who knows it's our car. Then we head straight for Cleveland with a brand new Cadillac, free and clear.
That's my brother.
I don't expector I checked up on the license plates. Huh stolen. I didn't expect anything different than JA. No, but I was hoping. What was the car stolen from?
Sergeant.
I don't know about the car.
The plate's taken off a nineteen forty Chevy some difference, and it reports on a new Cadillac Sadan. Being Stone, I couldn't find any inspector not any place in the state. If anyone's missing a brand new Cadillact, they certainly ought to squawk about it. Couldn't be You mean you were thinking these bandits might own that car and just have stolen the plates.
Yeah, But why do they need to buy a.
Car, Sergeant?
These two men seem to have a way of their own and a purpose of their own. Well spoken, polished, and a little too confident. Why shouldn't they buy a Cadillac if they want one. If they did, it shouldn't be too hard to trace. Look into the state registrations for the last week or two. There won't be too many Cadillacts of that modelistic Yes, sir, I'll get right on it.
You've been unfaithful, unfaithful, Yes, you've been taking sam lessons from somebody else.
Well.
I never expected to see you in Cleveland, ground.
I promised i'd be here, didn't I?
That was a Hollywood promise.
You don't know how I dreamed about seeing you again, How I couldn't wait to get here and then to hold you in my arms, dancing, not just dancing, Lydia. Look, look now, I'll be here two weeks. I want to see you every day and every night.
Where are we going? Tomorrow afternoon?
That's up to you.
Tomorrow night, Tomorrow night, I'm busy.
What's his name? I'm murdering.
Let's sit down.
Now, what's the matter with tomorrow night? Well, you can.
See me if you want to.
It's up to you.
This is our table, isn't it.
Yeah?
What do you mean if I want to tomorrow night?
It's the annual charity bark Well.
I believe in charity.
It so happens that I'm on the ticket committee.
Congratulations, I'll take two tickets. How much are they?
Whatever? You want to get?
Well, i'll take.
Two at five hundred dollars apiece.
Oh that's very generous, Ralph. But I've already got mine.
Okay, I'll still take two. Block one want to in the hotel room.
My whole family believes in charity.
All right, all right, my goodness, no room's vacant, mister wall.
Full of I don't want a room.
Then what do you want?
Do you have a room or named Oliver?
Who are you?
Bill collector?
No?
Wo thedn't come in? Come in?
Thanks?
Well?
Did you want Ralph Oliver o Lorton Oliver?
Oh, there's two of.
Them, brothers, nicest boys you ever saw a high tone?
I see it. Where's their room?
They ain't in Orleans no more?
Are you anyway an insurance salesman.
I'm a police officer, man, police officer.
Well, Friday, I think it was, yeah, Friday, because mister Hunter Clark moved in on Friday.
Now then I'm Clark. You know where they went?
Were traveling, they said, But if you ask me, it was Cleveland, they will rail Thad he's got a fiance, say in Cleveland. You must be making a mistake about those boys. They're nice boys.
Did Ralph get mailed from Cleveland?
Some?
Now see here? You don't think I go around reading my roomors made?
I'm sure you don't.
Well it was from Cleveland High Society Gale, she writes on good Stationary. So you are after the wrong man. Anybody who has a high society. Girl, don't go mix it up with the police. You don't want all of her boys for nothing. They're very high type.
Yes, I know, very high type. And please show me the room they occupied.
Well, I'll show it to you, but you won't find nothing there. I clean it.
Every day, Yeah, every day, right this way.
One thousand dollars, Ralph, one thousand dollars for ticket hits an investment. Well, how long do you think the money he's gonna hold out? We've been here two days and you've already spent nearly two thousand. Well there's plenty more where we got this shore, back in New Orleans, in someplace. But we're in Cleveland. You're dated up for two weeks.
Lot, what you know?
Associating with these people here gives you a lot of inside information. Now the hotel across the street, for instance, did you know that every Monday night the wealthiest businessmen in town amuse themselves with a game of poker, a game of poker for high stakes in room eleven. Oh two, Oh who kids, that's the next game. Lot, They're gonna deal us in and we'll wind up the only winner.
Welp, We decided not to work in Cleveland. This is for five got it all figured out? Well, this is going against everything we decided. We wear masks in disguise our voices. About midnight, we knock on the door and say it's the belt.
When they open up.
Okay, knock, yes, what is it?
Gets said bell boy?
Back in the room and reach quiet all of you, shut up, okay, on your feet, quiet, get up. I lay the door on the table. Empty your pockets and don't hold out.
Shut up.
We're gonna search every one of you before we get out, so put it all out. If you don't, it's eleven floors out that window.
Go on, go on, empty your pockets.
That's it.
Oh, come on, come on.
All right now all of you get in the bathroom. Get in the bathroom and make it snappy. Get the dope path right, don't want get in get in there. Shut up you hey, yeah, shut the door and start counting. When you get to a thousand, you can come out and count slow, well, go on, count.
One, two, three, four.
I have shut the door, six seven. Hey, you got it all?
Yeah about it? Take care of the ford, right, that's that, you know. Come on, let's get out. Here wait a minute for what Come on, Take it easy and I walk up to the bathroom door with me, but quietly.
Listen, holded, quiet, thy God, open the shoe.
Okay, I myself.
Hey, start all over again to one thousand, and if you open that door before you reach a thousand, I'll shoot you right through the head. You think I'm gonna leave her? If you think I kittn just try it.
One, two, three, four, five, sake seven h jad is Sergeant Wayne Cleveland. Just call me back, Inspector.
Oh, they've been checking up there and they've got a line on the OLLI her brothers good. As a matter of fact, they had a robb ray of a poker game last night. The bandits wore masks, but it looks pretty much like it could be the Oli her brothers.
It's their kind of stuff.
How about playing reservation, Sergeant.
I'll check out them right away.
What time do you want to leave on the first flight out?
Okay, I'll get the tickets and wire Cleveland. We're on the way.
Well, here we are home again.
It was a wonderful party, Lydia, thanks so letting me tagle long.
It wouldn't have been the same without you, Lawton.
Come on, honey, good night, Lawton. I'll be right out.
Oh, don't hurry, take your time.
Well is honey?
Mother and father asked me to invite you to dinner tomorrow. Night.
Good I'd love to come.
I suppose they know things are getting serious.
It's about time. They know the interesting more than time. Have you got your keys?
Yeah?
Good night, darling.
How do you.
Sure lydia let's get married, Ralph? I yes, oh no, that's all I want to hear.
Well, Ralph, yees?
Oh honey, Oh well baby, we don't say anymore.
Let me remember every word.
Good night, honey, good night, Darling. Well what do you think? What I propose it? And what Oliver? And nothing?
We're police officers. Get in okay, I guess this is it, Ralph. Yeah, they're waiting for us. Aunt, sergeant, place at quarters? All right, police aid quotas.
That Don was the end of the activities of the Oliver brothers, who thought they could lead a double life. The only life they found, however, was behind penitentiary bars. And in addition, they're now waiting trial on six more robbery indictments.
Well, thank you, Sheriff Grosh for this extraordinary case history and Gangbusters. Congratulations to the officers who participated in the investigation and apprehension of these criminals.